Ed Falconer has 10 tips for creating the right customer experience dashboard for you and your organisation.

1. Understand your stakeholders

When planning the build of a customer experience (CX) dashboard, it is critical that you understand the different stakeholders that will be using it. You should clearly define this audience upfront and establish what success looks like for all parties, in terms of reporting. This will then dictate whether you create single or multiple dashboards and will ensure the end result is relevant.

 

2. Set your key performance indicators early

Define and embed your KPIs in your CX platform, allowing you to relate these to your audience to visualise and track success. Separate them from your metrics to avoid cluttered data points and create a streamlined view.

 

3. Define the cadence and format

Is real time reporting required? Or will this data feed into a weekly update? Does the dashboard even need to be digital? It is important to have a discussion around the frequency of reporting and how the data will be accessed and used by stakeholders. There is no point creating a digital dashboard if users don’t access it.

 

4. Consider the design

Involve a visualisation designer – the tool must be attractive and easily interpreted by the end user. If the dashboard is not meaningful, engaging and compelling, then the full value of the platform will not be realised.

 

5. Track, acknowledge and forecast

Rather than occasional check-ins to evaluate performance, consider building in forecasting capabilities. Are you on track to meet longer term goals? If not, then leverage the insights from the dashboard to inform changes to how you engage with your customers.

 

 

What are the top five things to avoid?

 

1. Avoid a data dump

Consider what is relevant and what will help you succeed. Don’t be tempted to put every data point in the platform. This does not create meaningful insights.

 

2. Don’t rush

Take time to understand what data is relevant and what will help you succeed to achieve your wider business goals. Overcomplicating your platform will hinder your ability to recognise and act upon customer insights.

 

3. Don’t assume one size fits all

There will be differing needs, requirements and expectations from stakeholders – ensure you establish this from the outset and work it into the design process.

 

4. Don’t be dazzled

When considering a vendor or dashboarding tool, don’t be dazzled – consider the wider outcomes and needs of your business and choose carefully. Ensure what you buy is fit for purpose, aligned with your outcomes and budget.

 

5. Don’t expect a CX dashboard to solve all your problems

It is a highly powerful tool that can facilitate and generate rich insights, but it must be used in conjunction with human interaction. Don’t assume it will do your job, the data must still be interpreted and investigated. Ultimately, people create the insights, not dashboards.

 

Ed Falconer is managing director at Accenture Interactive

 

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